‘Keeping a Secret’ An exhibition of paintings and drawings by 50 artists from around Cyprus to raise awareness and funding for the Learning Refuge Paphos. The exhibition will be opened by the Mayor of Paphos, Mr Fedonos Fedonas on Friday 28th Septemeber at 20.00 at Palia Ilektriki Paphos Exhibition will run for one evening only

‘Keeping a Secret’ is a group exhibition organized by Irish artist Miriam Mc Connon, Mary Chojnowski and Rehab Al Habrat with artists from Paphos, Larnaca, Limassol and Nicosia coming together to create awareness and to gain financial support for the voluntary organization, The Learning Refuge, Paphos. The exhibition will take place at Palia Ilektriki in Paphos for one evening only on Friday 28th September at 20.00. The exhibition will be opened by the Mayor of Paphos, Mr Fedonos Fedonas and the children who attend the ‘Learning Refuge’ will sing a song as part of the opening evening. In this exhibition, almost fifty of the best known artists in Cyprus exhibit two artworks each. All the works in the exhibition are the exact same size and will be sold for the same price. They are all based around the theme of displacement. None of the artworks are signed at the front leaving the artist of each work to remain a secret. The public are invited to come to the exhibition and take a gamble on which artist’s work they are purchasing. It will be an opportunity for art lovers and art collectors to purchase work from some of the leading Cypriot artists for an affordable price. The artists are donating fifty percent of the sale price to the Children at the Learning Refuge. The Learning Refuge is a voluntary organisation, under the umbrella of Caritas Paphos, which provides front line support. The learning Refuge began three years ago with the aim of integrating families and primarily to assist in children's general language and social skills. The volunteers at the Learning refuge offer help by welcoming families and offering learning through play and art. They also offer learning through informal lessons in Greek and English. The centre is there to provide learning, information and support for the families who have arrived in Cyprus as refugees from war torn countries. The theme of the exhibition is ‘displacement’ with the aim of creating more awareness and understanding of what it means to have to leave your homeland and also to encourage solidarity and support for the families who have come as refugees to our town. In this event the artist’s community of Cyprus have come together to show solidarity and compassion to these children and their families that have come to Cyprus to escape war and persecution. The participating artists are Yiannos Economou, Ergenc Kormazel, Margaret Paraskos, Aristotelis Dimitriou, Charalambos Margaritis, Antonis Neophytou, Nina Sumarac Jablonsky, Yiannis Shepis, Miriam Mc Connon, Georgos Kotsonis, Renos Stefani, Susan Vargas, Christos Foukaras, Mariam Foukaras, Sergis Hadjiadamos, Yiannis Sakelis Chiaki Kamikawa Katerina Foukaras, Arsentiy Lysenkov, Marianna Constanti, Charis Paspalis, Yiota Ioanidou, Derek Harris, Christos Georgiades, Kelly Norman, Katie Sabry, Marina Zach, Gemma Plant, Charis Christodoulou, Eleni Phyla, Abi Daker, Andreas Tomblin, Sharon Taylor, Chrisanthi Farmaka, Sheila Raven, Julie Adlington Menelaou, Konstantinos Kyrtis, Nicoletta Papamichael, Marlen Karletidou, Mary Chojnowski, Spyros Agathou, Paris Christodoulou, Borislav Georgiev, Maria Aitinidou

Pafos 2017

The title of the European Capital of Culture in 2017 has led to a high quality programme which is now being implemented with great optimism, passion and vision.

The launching of Pafos 2017 European Cpatital of Culture and more importantly the programme as a whole is considered more as a starting point and not as an arrival.

Hosting the biggest European cultural initiative is a great honour for our small city of Pafos as well as a huge responsibility and prospect. After going through troubled waters, Pafos is now on a course for progress and growth. The European Capital of ... more...

Culture institution is both a source of motivation as well as an opportunity for Pafos and the broader area to become a modern city and to reclaim the position it merits in Cyprus and Europe.

The initiative European Capital of Culture has run a significant course since its foundation in 1985. More than 50 cities have served as hosts, with the year-long events and actions contributing significantly to a generalized upgrade in cultural production and infrastructure, as well as a strengthening of the city’s reputation and its social bonds.

Upon being granted this title back in 2012, Pafos made this honour a responsibility as to everything it can achieve. The Organization Pafos2017 and its mission to bring to life the programme of the Open Air Factory is a stepping stone leading the city to new paths, mindsets and experiences. The Open Air Factory is an open invitation addressed to the artists, the citizens and the visitors of Pafos to come together and to co-create in different projects and networks. This will bring together different cities, countries and cultures, just like the motto “Linking Continents-Bridging Cultures” suggests.

Through a plethora of co-operations with future and past host countries– amongst others – and primarily the twin European Capital of Culture, Aarhus 2017 in Denmark, the programme aims at reinforcing Pafos’ place on the European cultural map.

At a time where differences in Europe and all over the world are on the rise, the European Capital of Culture Pafos2017 aims at bringing together people from all over the world, through a programme of more than 150 projects and 300 activities. The programme deals with aspects of our cultural heritage, as well as with broader human concerns and our European future.

We are most proud of this programme, not just because it was designed under difficult social and financial circumstances, but because it includes significant creators from Cyprus and the world, important works, high-quality productions from different cultures as well as works with a European outlook. I would like to thank all those who have contributed in compiling this programme, starting with the artists and the volunteers who worked during the preparation of Pafos’ bid. I would also like to thank all those who contributed to the finalization and actualization of the programme, the Artistic Director, the employees of Pafos2017, the members of the Board, our volunteers, the state authorities and institutions, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Government, the participating creators and social partners, our sponsors, and last but not least, everyone who embraced this vision and made their personal contribution to it.

My thanks extend to our partners in this effort, the Municipalities of Pafos, Geroskipou and Pegeia, and the communities of the broader Pafos district for their support of Pafos2017 and its programme.

It is my pleasure to invite all citizens of Pafos and its visitors to experience the extraordinary occasion of the European Capital of Culture Pafos2017 first-hand.